The Russellville Democrat. [volume] (Russellville, Ark.) 1875-1898, 1887-09-07
The Atkins Exposition Meeting

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The Atkins Exposition Meeting.
The exposition meeting at Atkins
last Saturday was quite success.
The attendance was good and every
body seemed TO be in earnest in
furthering the grand work. DR.. J.
II. Potts was elected chairman Of
the meeting. Mr.. Lawrence Rus
sell, Of this place was present, by
request, and made very interesting
and forcible speech. The following
synopsis will be both timely and
interesting to our readers:
Mr. Lawrence Russell being in
troduced said, that be knew the au
dience had assembled for the pur-
pose of bearing a political discus
sion, that some of those present were
interested in one party and someiin
another, bat he came to talk upon
the subject which should interest all
his fellow citizens alike, a subject
that should awaken enthusiasm in
the bosom of every loyer of Arkan-
sas; and that that subject was the
Arkansas Exposition.
He spoke of Arkansas favorable
location, OF her extent Of territory,
and her navigable rivers. He gave
a brief history of the state from the
time it formed part Of what was
known as the "Leuisiana purchase"
until it became state in 1886.
For the purpose of proving that
Arkansas was not developed, he gave
comparison between said state and
New York, showing that in 1880
Arkansas with larger territory than
New York had only 94,433 farms,
while New York had 24l, OBS; that
Arkansas had bat 1886, T03 acres in
cultivation, New York 17,7l7,S62;
that the estimated value of all pro
auctions (sold, consumed or on
HANDY for 1879 in Arkansas was
$40, 996,27l, while that of New York
was Sl7S,025,G95.
The speaker said that the above
statistics proved beyond doubt that
Arkansas was not developed; and
that what we needed was more Of
our territory put in cultivation.
That as we opened up new farms we
increased the value of our lands, we
enlarged the amount of taxable prop.
erty, and the larger the amount of
taxable property the lower can be
placed our rate of taxation. That
now we are taxed at the rate OF
ST.. 20 on the hundred, but If by I'm.
proving our country we should
double the value OF the taxable
property, then our tax could be re
duced one half, or to 60 cents on the
hundred: if our property should be
increased r-fold in value, then we
could raise just as much tax at 30
cents on the hundred, as we now
raise at $1.20 on the hundred.
The speaker showed that as to
the manufacturing interests of Ar
kansas there was room for great
development. That in 1880 Arkan
sas had but 1902 manufacturing es-
Establishments while New York had
Al, 739, the capital invested in Ar
kansas was 81, 953,130 in New York
1914, 246, 595; workmen employed in
these establishments, in Arkansas,
1857, in New York, 1864, 029. He
said that as we increased the num-
l,o, of ore ,,,o,,, "a ct,riac mo innraoe
ed the number of workmen; these
workmen made a demand for the
products of the country, and this
demand raises the price OF the pro-
duets which the farmer has for sale.
TO illustrate, he said, if there were
now ten men, heads of families,
working at the manufacturing estab-
lishmeut CT Weaver d. Co, Of At.
kins, then there arc ten families that
must have butter, meat and bread;
but if instead Of ten there were one
hundred men, heads of families, en-
ployed by said company, then there
would be an increased demand for
supplies; they would then require
ten times as much butter, ten times
as much meat, ten times as much
bread. Then the speaker added,
that what we needed was more men
to clear away the forests, and trans
form the wilderness into fertile fields,
more men to increase our wealth and
decrease our taxation; more men to
deyelope the manufacturing inter-
ests Of our country, and cause a
greater demand for our products.
! norder to accomplish this purpose
we were to have an exposition at
Little Rock, to open the 25th, OF
October and continue for twenty
days.
He said that other counties were
taking active steps toward repres
enting their interests at the exposi,
ton; that Washington and Benton
would be there with their fruits;
Boone with hefIiye stock, Sebastian
with her cotton, and Pope county
must either stand or fall, by the ex-
hibit she makesaupon that occasion
that the pes from the various
stat each county OF our
dnDts thav diatsfav